Supreme

Supreme Court Upholds Buffer Zone Laws for Abortion Clinics, Denies Opponents’ Appeals

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Washington, D.C. — The Supreme Court upheld laws that establish buffer zones outside abortion clinics, a decision affecting both clinic vigilance and access to reproductive services. These rules are designed to prevent harassment and ensure safe passage for patients seeking abortion services, as well as maintaining order outside medical facilities. The legal challenges dismissed by the court had been mounted by opponents of abortion, who argued that these buffer zones infringe upon their First Amendment rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. The zones typically prevent protesting within a certain distance from clinic entrances, an … Read more

Boulder Takes on Big Oil: Colorado Supreme Court Reviews Landmark Climate Lawsuit Aimed at Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy

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Boulder, Colo. – In a bold legal move, Boulder and Boulder County took major fossil fuel companies to court in 2018, seeking to hold them accountable for their contributions to climate change. The lawsuit directly targets giants Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy, accusing them of exacerbating environmental impacts including wildfires, floods, and extensive road damage throughout the region. This legal challenge is a pioneer of its kind, with Boulder and Boulder County arguing that the effects of climate change have imposed substantial financial burdens on their administrations, largely due to increased disaster mitigation and repair … Read more

DOJ Declares Removal Protections for Administrative Judges Unconstitutional, Citing Supreme Court Precedent

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has declared that it will no longer defend the constitutionality of current constraints on the removal of administrative law judges (ALJs). This decision, articulated in a letter by Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris to Charles Grassley, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, is based on a Supreme Court ruling which the DOJ believes renders these restrictions unconstitutional. The determination by the DOJ stems from the Supreme Court’s decision in Free Enterprise Fund v. PCAOB, which addressed the limitations on presidential power over the removal of executive officers. … Read more

Iowa Supreme Court Reviews Historic Fertility Fraud Case as Family Seeks Justice Decades Later

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Des Moines, Iowa — A controversial legal battle has surfaced in Iowa, where the Supreme Court is deliberating whether to permit a malpractice lawsuit against a deceased University of Iowa fertility doctor accused of using his own sperm to impregnate a patient over six decades ago. The case, which challenges both ethical and legal boundaries, involves the late Dr. John H. Randall and his patient, Donna Miller, who underwent fertility treatments in the 1950s and later gave birth to three children. Dr. Randall, who led the University’s Obstetrics and Gynecology Department from 1952 until his … Read more